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Hot! It’s definitely hot outside today. Even the ground is hot enough to toast my paws. If I could only get out to the grass, but first I need to cross the scorching miles (it’s more like a few feet, but when each step is baking your paws, it feels like miles) of pavement to reach safety. I’ll never be able to make it! I’ve been sitting here in the doorway for about fifteen minutes, peeking out into the toasty atmosphere and hoping that something will change. But, as time passes and the ground neither cools nor presents me with an opportunity to trek the distance, I’m beginning to believe that my only choice is to brave the pain and hope for the best. My options are limited. The walkway that’s close to the house is cooler but a longer distance, while the direct path will cook my toes for sure no matter how fast I go. Then I consider why the longer path is cooler. The garden runs right along the side of the house, keeping it shaded during the middle of the day. The sprinkler, a toy I love to play with but shouldn’t, has been sprinkling the garden to keep it fresh and cool in the summer heat. I’m familiar with the object, a summertime favorite that is responsible for keeping things cool and giving me something to chase. An idea forms in my brain and I now possess what so many great dogs in the past have dubbed as, “A Grand Plan.” The hose, another item not to be toyed with, snakes out into the yard to feed the sprinkler. Luckily for my paws, I can reach it and pull it closer to me. I wrestle for a moment before managing to pull the sprinkler close enough to spray down the side of the house and cool the area. Immediately, I can feel the change, and it’s only a matter of seconds before the pavement is reduced to being simply warm. I hop down the pathway, dodging the occasional spray of water, and make my way into the garden, where the ground is incredibly cool and moist. The mud feels great between my toes, so I stop to enjoy it for a moment. After I take care of business, I decide to enjoy the freshness a little longer. A few of my goodies are hidden in here and it’s time I check up on them, just in case some offender has invaded my homestead and snagged them for their own selfish reasons. I’m always careful not to destroy the old man’s garden. He enjoys his early morning time out here, digging and planting his own treats, which aren’t much more than some flowers and plants. But, they’re his treats, so they aren’t mine to dig up. But, they do give plenty of cover for what is mine. To the right of this oddly shaped fruit, I’ve hidden an old rib bone that I got a few weeks ago. Since then though, the fruit has changed, growing in size and obscuring my hiding place. After some effort, I manage to find my bone. I take a moment to chomp down on it, ensuring its quality and content are completely intact. You never know when someone will steal the flavor out of your bone. It’s something every dog should double-check. Of course my luck would lead to this, and it turns out that while my bone still holds its valued flavor, the old man spots me. I try to hide my bone but it’s too late as he looks straight at me and I’m not even supposed to be in his garden in the first place. I try to hide myself below the cover of the plants. The old man calls to me though, and I’m pretty sure he isn’t buying my ruse. I decide to play “cute” by acting like nothing is going on at all. Nonchalantly, I stroll out of the garden and into the yard with bone in mouth as though it’s the most natural thing in the world. It doesn’t work. The old man has his hands on his hips and is tapping his bare feet on the walkway. I hop back onto the walkway, which is very cool in comparison to earlier, and begin to tell the old man my side of the story. But, he ignores me and grabs the hose and sprinkler so he can take them back into the yard. That’s when he discovers why I put the sprinkler way over here in the first place. Though he’s undeniably not as sprightly as a young pup like me, he definitely shows me a few moves I could learn when avoiding hot pavement. See! I tried to tell you it’s hot out here today!
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